T H E B E EF, PO RK & PO U TRY IND USTRY D IGITA L M AGA ZINE
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CANADIAN BEEF INDUSTRY IS SETTING AMBITIOUS LONG-TERM GOALS Young Egg Farmers are #CrackingHunger Walmart Canada Now Sourcing Canadian Certified Canadian Beef North American Companies Buying More Robots Tyson Foods First Meat Company to Join Cattle Traceability Program Foodservice Workers Have Hit the Pandemic Wall
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2,000 Youth Jobs to be Created in the Agriculture Sector
Guardians of the Grasslands Sheds Light on Endangered Ecosystems
Canadian Beef Industry is Setting Ambitious Long-term Goals
U.S. Beef, Pork Exports Break Records in March
Walmart Canada Now Sourcing Canadian Certified Canadian Beef Young Egg Farmers are #CrackingHunger
North American Companies Buying More Robots Tyson Foods First Meat Company to Join Cattle Traceability Program
Governments Investing in Meat Processors Capacity
Foodservice Workers Have Hit the Pandemic Walld
Agriculture Must be Viewed as Part of our Economic and Environmental Solutions, not the Problems Recovery in our Communities
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May 2021 Volume 21 Number 5
PUBLISHER Ray Blumenfeld ray@meatbusiness.ca MANAGING EDITOR Scott Taylor publishing@meatbusiness.ca DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR Cam Patterson cam@meatbusiness.ca CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jack Roberts, Virginia Labbie CREATIVE DIRECTOR Patrick Cairns
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2,000 YOUTH JOBS TO BE CREATED IN THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR Representatives from the federal and provincial governments have announced an investment of up to $21.4 million to enhance the Youth Employment and Skills Program (YESP) and fund about 2,000 jobs for youth in the agriculture sector. The YESP aims to support agri-food employers and provide young Canadians between the ages of 15 and 30 with job experience in agriculture that could lead to a career working in the sector. In 2020, the Government of Canada invested $9.2 million for the YESP, to fund nearly 1,000 jobs. Today’s investment more than doubles last year’s allocation. Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food stated, “By doubling our youth jobs program, we are providing thousands of young people with rewarding experiences that could lead to a career in agriculture. In a time of labor shortages, this enhancement will also allow many employers to fill vacant positions.” Eligible applicants include producers, agri-businesses, industry associations, provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous organizations and research facilities. Support can cover the period from April 15, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Applications for the YESP are now being accepted and forms are available through the webpage. For more information, please contact aafc.yesp-pecj. aac@canada.ca, or call: 1-866-452-5558. "The Youth Employment and Skills Program helps alleviate some of the pressing labour issues in Canadian agriculture, while also giving youths exposure to our industry when that exposure is becoming increasingly rare”, said Justin Williams, Chair, Canadian Young Farmers' Forum. We hope programs such as this can help foster the next generation of Canadian farmers and get the younger generations talking about Canadian agriculture as a career prospect.” Young people were among the hardest and fastest hit when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, experiencing more job losses than any other age demographic. Meanwhile, the agriculture sector has been facing increased difficulty accessing labour since the beginning of the pandemic. By promoting youth employment in the agriculture sector, the Government of Canada is ensuring a resilient food supply chain and keeping the sector strong. "The YESP program has been an easy program to use. We’ve appreciated that it helped us hire a young person and expose them to some of the opportunities in the field of agriculture,” stated Ryan Kasko, General Manager, Kasko Cattle Co Ltd.
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CANADIAN BEEF INDUSTRY IS SETTING AMBITIOUS LONG-TERM GOALS The Canadian beef industry is working to improve water and soil quality, support the health and safety of all people throughout the supply chain, improve beef quality, and incorporate technology to strengthen farmers’ bottom lines. Building upon five-year goals that were outlined in the 2020-2024 National Beef Strategy, the industry has now identified a suite of ambitious tenyear goals that will provide positive and clear messaging about the process to continually improve practices, product quality, enhance natural environments and utilize technologies to benefit people health, safety and profitability.
“communicating the existing good work of producersto Ottawa, on these topics, is key to building support from both government and the public.” Anne Wasko, a producer from Saskatchewan and Chair of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef hopes that “these ambitious goals result in innovation throughout the beef industry and solidify our place as part of the climate solution, while supporting economic viability throughout the supply chain. The intent is that these are ‘stretch’ goals that encourage industry to strive for something we would not achieve without setting them.”
The first three goals released in September 2020 addressed: 1) Greenhouse Gas and Carbon Sequestrations, 2) Animal Health and Welfare and 3) Land Use and Biodiversity. The last four goals released today address: 4) Water, 5) People Health and Safety, 6) Beef Quality and Food Safety, and 7) Technology. The goal topics covered recognize the breadth of benefits from beef production beyond supplying global protein demand. This suite of goals highlight the work of the Canadian beef industry as integral for climate change mitigation and the sustainability of our food system. Bob Lowe, a producer from Alberta and President of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) comments that, 6
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Setting ambitious goal targets was done strategically in order to encourage innovation and push the beef industry as a whole to think differently. Tyler Bjornson, Chair of the Canadian Meat Council Beef and Veal Committee and current Chair of the Canadian Beef Advisors notes that “there are opportunities around skipping outdated generations of technology, but regulation must keep up and not impede use of solutions that would add value to the sector.” The goal development process was collaborative and iterative, receiving feedback from multiple stakeholder groups to inform and refine the goals to be both realistic and ambitious. Matt Bowman, a producer from Ontario and Chair of the Beef Cattle Research Council states, “these goals provide direction on where research and technology transfer efforts are needed over the coming ten years. While research and extension have advanced on several fronts, continuous incremental improvement is the goal.”
The Canadian Beef Advisors consists of elected leaders and staff representation of the seven national beef organizations responsible for policy, marketing, research and sustainability. They are a diverse group of experienced industry representatives, who are responsible for advancing the strategy with the industry stakeholders, providing recommendations on future direction and reporting results a Learn more their vision and goals for a dynamic and profitable Canadian cattle and beef industry at www. beefstrategy.com.
The Canadian Beef Advisors consists of elected leaders and staff representation of the seven national beef organizations responsible for policy, marketing, research and sustainability. They are a diverse group of experienced industry representatives, who are responsible for advancing the strategy with the industry stakeholders, providing recommendations on future direction and reporting results against the strategy goals and objectives.
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WALMART CANADA NOW SOURCING CANADIAN CERTIFIED CANADIAN BEEF Walmart Canada has announced that it is now sourcing beef from certified sustainable farms and ranches according to standards set by the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB). Additionally, Walmart is sourcing a large enough quantity of beef from sustainable sources for its Your Fresh Market brand beef patties that it has been granted permission to include a sustainability certification label on each package.
Walmart’s efforts to help expand the CRSB’s program in Canada includes a focus on engaging in dialogue with industry and supply chain partners to create and advocate for continually better industry standards. This collaboration supports the industry through sharing and aligning on best practices, course correcting where needed, and continued evolution to meet goals for suppliers and the environment. Continued on page 10
Walmart is the first grocery retailer in Canada to achieve this milestone. The certification demonstrates Walmart’s commitment and contribution to supporting sustainable beef practices across five principles – Natural Resources, People and Community, Animal Health and Welfare, Food, and Efficiency & Innovation, verified through 3rd party certification. Sourcing beef sustainably is important because as the world population grows, we need to produce food efficiently and responsibly.
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“Walmart is committed to being a regenerative company – one that works to restore, renew and replenish our planet. Offering this new line of beef patties with sustainability certification is part of our journey and a proud moment for our entire team,” said Horacio Barbeito, President and CEO, Walmart Canada. “Our ongoing partnership with the CRSB helps drive the shared goal of advancing sustainability within the Canadian beef industry. Each of us can take pride in knowing that our collective actions support global sustainability commitments.”
new CRSB claim represents an opportunity for a wholesystem transformation and continued progress across the beef supply chain.
The ongoing partnership with the CRSB is also an important part of Walmart Canada’s continued commitment to focus on sustainability in its sourcing decisions both globally and domestically. It also builds on the pledge to source key commodities more sustainably - for example, with seafood and pulp and paper.
Walmart Canada sources 100% of its beef in Canada and is a supporter of the Canadian beef industry. Canadian beef producers manage and help preserve 35 million acres of native grasslands in Canada. Grazing cattle here contributes to preserving critical habitat for wildlife and birds, including over 60 species at risk. The
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ABOUT THE CRSB Established in 2014, the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) is a collaborative, multistakeholder organization focused on advancing environmental, social and economic sustainability in the Canadian beef industry. For more information, visit crsb. ca
ANNE WASKO, CHAIR OF THE CRSB “Walmart Canada has been a strong partner on our sustainability journey. We’re delighted that they are now showcasing the CRSB Certified label in Walmart stores across the country. The label will help Canadians understand the sustainable practices that are used and how their food is raised, so that they can better understand how that contributes to a sustainable food system. We want all Canadians to feel confident that in choosing CRSB-certified products, they are making the right choices for themselves and their families, and for our planet, while also supporting farmers and ranchers across Canada,” said Anne Wasko, Chair of the CRSB and rancher from Eastend, SK.
ABOUT WALMART CANADA Walmart Canada operates a chain of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada's flagship online store, Walmart. ca is visited by more than 900,000 customers daily. For more information, visit walmartcanada.ca
Launching in time for the summer barbecue season in Canada, this broadened assortment of beef patties with CRSB Certified labelling will feature three flavour options, including Bacon Cheddar and Mushroominfused offerings. meatbusinesspro.com
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YOUNG EGG FARMERS ARE #CRACKINGHUNGER By Ana Mano, Reuters Thanks to Egg Farmers of Canada’s more than 7-year partnership with Heart for Africa (Canada), the Project Canaan egg farm in Ewsatini produces more than a million eggs every year for the community and for the more than 250 orphaned and vulnerable children who call Heart for Africa home. Young Canadian egg farmers Marc and Cheryl Norleen, Andrew Packham and Richard Boer participated in a fundraising challenge in support of Heart for Africa (Canada). After achieving their fundraising goal, the group travelled to Eswatini in November of 2019 to lend their skills to the Project Canaan egg farm and see first-hand the incredible impact of the humble egg. What was it like working on an egg farm on the other side of the world? We asked Marc, Cheryl, Andrew and Richard–and here’s what they told us.
“We first heard about Heart for Africa when we participated in Egg Farmers of Canada’s national young farmer program,” says Cheryl. “During the program, another egg farmer came in to talk about Project Canaan and called it a ‘life changing’ experience.” “I wanted to travel to Project Canaan to see it firsthand and see how the eggs helped in the community there,” says Andrew. “I enjoy volunteering and giving back to my community, and this sounded like a great opportunity to help outside my community as well.” “My first impression when I arrived at Project Canaan was that I was amazed they could accomplish so much with limited resources in such a small amount of time,” says Richard. As part of their volunteer work on the farm, the group helped with maintenance in the egg barn and collected eggs before boiling and packaging them for distribution in the community.
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The eggs distributed in the community were included in care packages for families in need. As part of this feeding program, children receive a health checkup to assess the impact the program is having on their growth and development. “I was shown that the impact of the egg can be huge,” says Richard. “We witnessed an entire community come out to meet us and receive a care package that included an egg.”
“One hard-boiled egg can go a lot farther than you think,” says Andrew. “Eggs are an excellent source of protein for the people in Eswatini who need protein and nutrients.” Marc and Cheryl also saw the impact of eggs in the communities they visited. “Seeing the importance of the egg—seeing how Egg Farmers of Canada and Heart for Africa are giving eggs to people who benefit so much from them left a large impression on us,” say Marc and Cheryl. All four egg farmers returned to Canada with a strong appreciation for the impact the egg project is having in Eswatini. “It’s difficult to explain how great the impact is. It opened my eyes to everything. What they’re going through compared to what we have here—there is no comparison,” says Andrew. Project Canaan is a bright reminder of the power of the humble egg. Click here to donate and join us in #CrackingHunger.
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NORTH AMERICAN COMPANIES BUYING MORE ROBOTS By Timothy Aeppel, Reuters North American companies boosted spending on industrial robots in the first quarter as they scrambled to keep up with surging demand in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tyson Foods Inc. is among those looking to use more robots on its production lines. In 2019, the company opened a 26,000 square foot automation research center near its headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas.
Companies ordered 9,098 robots in the first quarter, a 19.6% increase over a year ago, according to the Association for Advancing Automation, an industry group based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The orders were valued at over $466 million in total.
“For the most part, it’s still too soon for some of the really innovative and proprietary systems we’re developing,” said Marty Linn, the center’s director of engineering. Automating jobs such as deboning chickens is extremely difficult, he noted, because the size and shape of each chicken can vary greatly. Robots work best when they can handle uniform items.
Robots were once concentrated in the auto industry but are now moving into more corners of the economy, from ecommerce warehouses to food processing plants. For the first time last year, most of the robots ordered by companies in North America weren’t destined for auto factories or their parts suppliers.
With that in mind, Linn said, Tyson has already started installing at its plants robots that sit at the end of production lines and automatically stack and wrap boxes on pallets - a process that involves standard shapes and the repetition of precise movements.
The strongest growth in the latest quarter was to metal producers, where orders surged 86%. Orders to life science, pharmaceutical and biomedical companies rose 72%, while orders to consumer goods companies increased 32%. “The strong economy obviously helps,” said Jeff Burnstein, president of the Association for Advancing Automation, “It gives companies the confidence to invest in more things -- including in more automation.” Burnstein said the pandemic froze many businesses, as operations shut down to protect human health. “But ultimately it accelerated the adoption of automation, because companies recognized if they were going to do it, now would be the time.”
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THE BEST DEFENSE IS A STRONG OFFENSE PROMOTING THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF MEAT AND POULTRY By Ronnie P. Cons
Red meat is often wrongly portrayed as being unhealthy. Even chicken has been getting attacked by some in the media as unhealthy or not environmentally friendly. Vegan, fish and other non-meat diets have been proposed as healthier alternatives. The result of this onslaught of negative meat messages has influenced many families to cut back on their meat and poultry purchases. Perceptions may reality but truth trumps misinformation. Parents and other consumers want what is best for their healthand andpork that subsidiary of their families. Tyson Fresh Meats, the beef of They are also aware a lot of information there Tyson Foods, Inc., isthat putting itsfalse support behindis aout cattle and as such, are open to scientific facts that can correct disease traceability program called U.S. CattleTrace. their misconceptions.
liver, 625 grams of cooked beef or an astounding 2.4 kg of
TYSON FOODS FIRST MEAT spinach. COMPANY TO Iron found in vegetables is harder to absorb than the iron JOIN CATTLE TRACEABILITY PROGRAM
This makes providesTyson an opportunity for retail meat departments This the first beef processor to invest in to implement an instore ‘Healthy Meat Facts’ nutritional membership in the program, which was formed by campaign to set the record straight and convince their multiple state organizations develop a customers that cattlemen’s meat and poultry are actuallyto good for one’s national infrastructure for animal disease traceability health and that they should increase rather than decrease in thepurchases U.S. cattle The program expected their of industry. it. The campaign outlinedisbelow can have a direct impact on sales: to assist animal health officials with an effective and quick disease response U.S. cattle in the Start by displaying instorewithin postersthe promoting the herd nutritional value of They animal should be innovative, eye catching and event ofmeat. a foreign disease occurring in the U.S., be designed to specifically contradict any meat myths. The which is critical for the entire beef industry in order to comments should all be literature based quoting research maintain daily operations and continue to access ever papers or MDs for maximum effect. Various posters should important beef export markets. be made - each with a brief but powerful message covering one theme.
“Animal health and disease traceability are critical Posters can convey the following healthy meat fact issues for messages:the meat industry and we’re hopeful our involvement will help advance industry efforts to 1. Let’s IRON out the Truth on Meat! implement this program across amount the country,” saidtoShane “You would need to eat a massive of spinach Miller, group president, Tyson Fresh Meats. “We believe equal (the iron content) in a steak,” says Christopher Golden, CattleTrace to reduceatthe risk that animalin an ecologist can and help epidemiologist Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts. (As quoted bywhile nature.com disease poses to the U.S. cattle supply, also in the article ‘Brain foodclever eating’.) protecting our industry’s access to important export For a woman to receive her recommended daily intake markets, which can quickly be compromised in theof 18 mg of iron, she would need just 300 grams of cooked bovine event of an animal health issue.”
found in meat as it is attached to fibre which inhibits its absorption.
U.S. CattleTrace utilizes ear tags that contain ultra-high
2. Eat Meattechnologies for a HealthiertoBrain! frequency collect the minimal data Being deficient in the micronutrients found in meat have been necessary, including an individual animal identification linked with low IQ, autism, depression and dementia says number, a GPS location, and date and time. This of Dr. Charlotte Neumann, a paediatrician at the University information is used to track animals in the event of California, as quoted in the article ‘Brain food- clever eating’.
a disease outbreak and and allows tracking of the animal Zinc is crucial for learning memory. Vitamin B12 from location of birththat and to each location they travel preserves the sheaths protect nerves.
prior to reaching a processor for harvest. An electronic
3. Boost Your Immunity with Meat! chiptowithin the tag interacts with radioinfrequency Due its antioxidant powers, zinc is the involved creating emitted bytothe Though tags are antibodies fightreader. free radicals thatthe increase ourelectronic, risk for chronic they arediseases. not battery operated, meaning they can last
the lifetime ofMuscle the animal. 4. Power Your Growth with Meat! The protein in meat helps build and repair body tissues. “As leaders in theofcattle industry, excited see Muscles are made protein. That is we whyare athletes whotoare Tyson Fresh Meats’ commitment tomeat animal health and building muscle strength increase their consumption. The protein and zinc found meat are important muscle disease traceability in theinUnited States,” saidforBrandon growth and repair. Depenbusch, chair of the U.S. CattleTrace Board of 5. Meat is the Complete Directors. “We’ve heardProtein! from stakeholders across the Meat contains all order of the for nineaessential amino system acids that country that in producer-led to your body cannot make by itself. Say ‘hello’ to histidine, leucine, succeed, buy-in amongst all sectors is needed. This isoleucine, lycine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, commitment from a leader in beef processing shows threonine, and valine. That is why meat is called a complete that no-matter where we come from in the cattle protein.
industry, we are all working towards a common goal
6. Eat Meat for a Healthy Heart! of protecting ourof nation's herd and the highest Meat contains lots the B vitamins needed for the quality, most sustainable beef product in the world.” production of hormones, red blood cells and for the proper functioning of your nervous system. Say ‘hello’ to niacin, folic acid, thiamine, biotin, panthothenic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6. They are all found in meat. The line that ‘the best defense is a good offense’ does not only apply to sports. It also applies to countering negative meat health myths. Implementing an instore ‘Healthy Meat Facts’ nutritional campaign to set the record straight on meat and poultry. It is a good way to go on the offensive by using education your customers and increasing your sales.. Ronnie P. Cons is CEO of C&C Packing Inc., a leading Canadian distributor of meat and poultry. He can be reached at RCons@CCpacking.com.
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Production Animal Consultation, a science-driven, people-focused group of experts that offers protein producers all over the world a competitive advantage stated, "We think the ability to quickly pinpoint a disease, and its origin, is and will continue to be critically important in the future for the cattle industry. That's why we support the efforts of U.S. CattleTrace."
NSF INTERNATIONAL FOCUSES ON CANADIAN FOOD INDUSTRY WITH NEW WEBSITE FOR SERVICES IN CANADA
Global public health organization showcases services for Canada’s growing and fast-changing food industry NSF International in Canada recently launched a new
In 2018, a collaborative partnership between Kansas website - www.nsfcanada.ca - to give Canada’s growing State University, the Kansas Livestock Association, the and complex food and beverage industry easy access Kansas Department of Agriculture, USDA, and individual to the global public health organization’s expertise and producer stakeholders launched CattleTrace Inc. services in Canada. The websitethe combines information on the depth, experience and capabilities of the NSF pilot project. The goal of the pilot was to develop a Internationalinfrastructure Canadian office NSF purpose-built forwith an access animaltodisease International’s global services dedicated to food safety traceability system, evaluate the infrastructure, and and quality. determine the value proposition of the system at each Evolving segment regulationsand across countries and increasing production across the industry. The name complexities associated with a globalized food supply of the organization was changed to U.S. CattleTrace network present challenges for NSF International clients in in January after the theworld. involvement cattlemen’s Canada2020, and around The newof Canadian website organization from and some of thetonation’s leading beef offers expertise services help companies navigate production states, including Kentucky, and these challenges, including Florida, certification and auditing, consulting, technical services, training education, Texas. Tyson Foods is the first U.S. meatand company to food and label compliance, packaging, and product and become a beef processor member in the organization.
accredited International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) site. Topics include HACCP, food safety and quality, GFSI benchmarked standards, regulations (including FSMA), food science, food packaging, food microbiology and ISO standards. Training modalities include eLearning, on-site, customized and open enrolment.
ABOUT U.S. CATTLETRACE
Additionally, the website includes information about management system registrations for the food, automotive, In August 2018, CattleTrace Inc. was formally environmental, information security, medical devices, established as a private, not-for-profit aerospace and chemical industries, as wellcorporation as for Ontarioto securelywater maintain and manage the data collected as drinking programs.
parttheofnew the disease traceability pilot project. To food learn Visit Canadian website at www.nsfcanada.ca to review the safety video, find a list Canadian information food experts, learn moreservices aboutcapabilities U.S. CattleTrace orofreceive about upcoming events and global news releases, a question 1 submit 2014-05-16 1:20:17 PMor read on how YesGroup_CanadianMeatBusiness-Qtr-pg.pdf to participate, visit www.USCattleTrace.org. an FAQ.
process development.
NSFproducers International’s Canadian website have provides information “Cattle around the country indicated on the following services: that voluntary disease traceability is a priority for the auditing: Third-party food safety audits U.S.Certification cattle herd,”&said Ken Griner, a cattleman from and certifications, which are integral components Florida. “Tyson's commitment is a great sign thatof supplier selection compliance. Accurate all segments realize and thatregulatory animal disease traceability audits are the first step toward successful verification is an area that needs addressed from all industry of a company’s food safety system, providing improved participants, not just producers. We look forward to brand protection and customer confidence. Certifications the and waysaudits U.S. are CattleTrace can address these issues and available for animal and produce in the ensure that U.S. cattleGFSI operations remain in the agriculture industry, certification andeven management registration. casesystem of a disease event.” Consulting: A full-service team approach providing technical resources, expertise and insight for a wide range of food safety and quality services. NSF International provides finished product inspection testing for food, packaging and non-food testing for rapid analysis and insight to protect the brand, technical support services from on-site temporary or permanent technical staffing placements, and various types of consulting. Technical services: A one-stop solution for food product compliance and formulation, from concept to finished product, including food and label compliance, packaging, product and process development, and shelf-life and product evaluation.
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Training and education: Training for the global food and beverage industry across the supply chain as an meatbusiness.ca meatbusinesspro.com
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GUARDIANS OF THE GRASSLANDS SHEDS LIGHT ON ENDANGERED ECOSYSTEMS A new documentary out now explores the vital role cattle play in preserving Canada's only endangered ecosystem – our native temperate grasslands.
systems. Canada's grasslands are estimated to store approximately 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon. (Source: Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef).
We are at a tipping point when it comes to protecting one of the world's most endangered ecosystems. Over 74% of which is gone due to conversion to cropland or urban development and the Great Plains temperate grasslands in Canada are at risk.
Produced by Story Brokers Media House in partnership with Canadian Beef, Ducks Unlimited Canada, and the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the film is set in Southern Alberta at the Waldron Ranch Grazing Co-op.
At one time, the majestic Great Plains temperate grasslands spanned from the boreal forest in Canada to the Mexican border. What is left is home to hundreds of animals, including many rare, threatened, at risk and endangered species. According to Kristine Tapley, an Agrologist with Ducks Unlimited Canada, “we need to act now to protect our native grasslands. If we lose this precious ecosystem and the species that coexist within it, it will be an unimaginable loss for all Canadians.”
"Once we learned about Canada’s endangered native grasslands, it was abundantly clear that we need to share this story,” said Ben Wilson and Sarah Wray, filmmakers. "When most people hear about endangered ecosystems, they immediately think of the rainforest or coral reefs. Well, this is our backyard, and we are losing it at an alarming rate. Our grasslands are the coral reefs of Canada.” After finishing a successful film festival run, Guardians of the Grasslands is out now and available to the public. ABOUT GUARDIANS OF THE GRASSLANDS
Guardians of the Grasslands aims to shed light on the management of our grasslands. The film explores the vital role that cattle play in preserving Canada's endangered native temperate grasslands. Sustainable grazing is essential to the preservation of this ecosystem, with cattle mimicking the historic role of bison as the keystone species.
Guardians of The Grasslands is a short documentary brought to you by a group of dedicated conservationists, ranchers, and Canadian filmmakers. For more information about the film, visit guardiansofthegrasslands.ca
“By having cattle on the native grasslands, they are creating life. The bison before them created this entire ecosystem, built all the topsoil and sequestered carbon. Without a large herbivore grazing on these lands, they would become sick,” adds Ben Campbell, southern Alberta rancher.
The Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA) is the national voice of Canada's 60,000 beef farms and feedlots. For more information on the people and the structure of the CCA, visit cattle. ca/about-us.
The preservation of prairie grasslands goes beyond the desire to conserve species. Grassland ecosystems are essential for climate change mitigation. Native grasses can hold carbon in the soil thanks to their long root
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ABOUT THE CANADIAN CATTLEMEN ASSOCIATION
LINK TO VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ CG4ROvCu0Y
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U.S. BEEF, EXPORTS BREAK RECORDS IN MARCH THEPORK REAL DIRT ON FARMING IN THE CLASSROOM U.S. red meat exports ended the first quarter strong, with March beef and pork exports each posting the highest monthly value on record, according to the U.S. Meat Export Federation. Pork exports and shipments of beef muscle cuts also set new volume records in March, the federation reported. Beef exports in March totaled 124,808 metric tons, up 8% from a year ago and the second-largest monthly volume of the post-BSE era. The value of those exports broke the $800 million mark for the first time at $801.9 million, up 14% year-over-year. Beef muscle cut exports set new monthly records for both volume and value, up 13% and 17%, respectively from a year earlier.
Japan remains the top volume market for U.S. beef, but exports to the island nation were down 6.7% in volume and 6.1% in value in March. Exports to Japan were impacted by a higher safeguard tariff rate, which triggered March 18 and remained in effect for 30 days.
March highlights for U.S. beef included record exports to China, Honduras and the Philippines and strong results in South Korea, Chile and Colombia.
Beef export value in March equated to $348.66 per head of U.S. fed cattle slaughter, up 13% from a year earlier. Record-large pork exports in March, at 294,724 metric tons, were up 1% from last year's strong total and set a new value record at $794.9 million, up 4% year over year. Pork muscle cuts also set new monthly records for both volume, up 2% from a year ago, and value, up 4%. March pork exports were led by strong performances in Japan, Mexico, the Philippines and Central America — including new records in Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Nicaragua. Exports were also
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record-large to the Dominican Republic for the second consecutive month. Pork export value in March equated to $67.71 per head of U.S. hog slaughter, up 6% from a year earlier. "It's very gratifying to see such an outstanding breakout month for U.S. beef and pork exports," Dan Halstrom, US. Meat Export Federation president and CEO, said in a press release.
NEW SURREY SLAUGHTERHOUSE ‘WOULD OPEN DOOR’ TO NEW BEEF MARKETS
Exports were off to a respectable start in 2021, considering logistical and labor challenges and ongoing restrictions on foodservice in many key markets, he said. “While these obstacles are not totally behind us, the March results show the situation is improving and the export totals better reflect the strong level of global demand for U.S. red meat," he said.
He is also encouraged by a rebound in shipments of beef and pork variety meat, which suffered from labor Proposed 30,000-square-foot beef abattoir in Cloverdale would be B.C.’s largest such facility shortages at processing plants. By Amy Reid, Peace Arch News A federally licensed beef processing facility is in the works in Surrey, BC. “There’s a new building coming forward, a new abattoir, I think that’s the French pronunciation of slaughterhouse,” said Councillor Mike Starchuk. “So Surrey will have a newer facility with a better capacity so people will have the ability to not have to ship an animal to Alberta to have it processed. The applications have gone through the Agricultural and Food Sustainability Advisory Committee.” The facility is proposed on a 25-acre property within the Agricultural Land Reserve at 5175 184th St. The planned 30,000-square foot abattoir in Cloverdale would process up to 100 head of cattle per day. According to a city report, that would make it larger than any other processing facility in B.C.. But it would still be small by industry standards, compared to the largest meat processing plants in Alberta that process 3,000 heads of cattle per day. The proposed facility would be fully enclosed and designed
so as to not emit odours. while there is an operational "March variety meatAnd exports matched last year's 6,000-square-foot abattoir on the property now, it’s can performance for pork and were the largest of 2021 on only process a limited number of cattle. the beef side. It's important that the capture rate for Chris Les is general manager of Meadow Valley Meats, variety meatbehind continues toMeadow improve, thisisis a critical the company the project. Valleyas Meats seeking a Canadian Food Inspection Agency mix," license for component of the export product he said. the proposed abattoir, to become a federally registered meat establishment and expand the operation. This would March exports of U.S. lamb werebeyond up 54% from allow the meat products to be transported B.C.’s boundaries.
a year ago to 1,089 metric tons and valued at $1.5 million, focus is on trying to bring a more efficient, sustainable up“Our 22%. Lamb variety meat exports were led by strong local product to the market, realizing we can do that now demand in Mexico, while muscle cuts increased to in a very limited sense,” said Les.lamb “I caution people when talking to them andRepublic, they say, ‘What a big plant,and that’s going the Dominican Bermuda Canada. to go allow you to go mainstream.’ Well, yes, if you look in the context of B.C., but this is still a very niche plant Source: dataindustry compiled by U.S.andMeat and we’llUSDA serve a niche for producers for theExport market. It’s certainly not going to be a monstrosity of a plant Federation but it’ll be a big upgrade from the site currently.” Continued on page 32
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GOVERNMENTS INVESTING IN MEAT PROCESSORS CAPACITY Support will improve production and safety measures in provincial abattoirs The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing more than $7 million to quickly increase production and efficiency in meat processing plants across the province. This initiative will help to address supply chain disruptions through the purchase and installation of equipment, such as coolers and freezers, and their associated costs. Through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership), 74 projects are receiving cost-share funding to purchase or upgrade equipment that will improve production and safety measures in freestanding meat plants and abattoirs in Ontario. The program is focused on measures that could quickly increase processing capacity as the industry deals with a shortage of processing capacity, partly related to COVID slowdowns. “Investing in strategic upgrades across the meat processing sector will help strengthen Ontario’s capacity to continue to produce safe, high quality food,” said the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.” This funding will support a stable meat supply and keep high-quality and affordable Canadian meat products on our grocery store shelves and kitchen tables.” “COVID made it more difficult for our farmers to find the processing capacity that they needed; these investments are part of our rapid response to help both our farmers and our processing industry to succeed in these challenging times,” said the Honourable Ernie Hardeman, provincial Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Today’s announcement is the latest step our government is taking to support the sector to improve productivity and food safety to help keep Ontario’s food supply system strong.”
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The $7 million funding is part of both governments’ investments to assist Ontario’s agri-food sector in meeting challenges related to COVID-19. Due to high demand, an additional $3.2 million was added to the original $4 million allocation to fund eligible applications. Some examples of the projects supported through this Initiative include: • Purchase and installation of machinery including temperature sensors, bench scales, waterproof industrial screen and labeling that will increase overall productivity. • Converting a regular freezer into a blast freezer that will increase productivity and food safety by allowing the freezing of product at a faster rate than a traditional freezer. • Purchase and installation of vacuum packaging equipment that will increase the efficiency and speed of processing meat. "Ontario's meat processors have made significant investments to maintain production capacity and keep their employees safe throughout the pandemic,” said Carol Goriup, President of Meat and Poultry Ontario. “This funding will help us make further improvements to ensure a stable food supply for our province beyond the pandemic, providing farmers with market access and will connect Ontario consumers with local food. We thank the Government of Ontario for supporting the sector at this crucial time."
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Since June 2018, both the federal and DF:governments I don’t think being oncommitted the island provincial have hassupport really impacted us negatively one cost-share to approximately way or the other. We’ve traveled a lot, 4,400 projects through the Partnership to met a lot of other farmers and livestock help eligible Ontario farmers, processors, producers in other parts of Canada, and businesses and sector organizations innovate we all seem to have the same issues and grow. and same concerns. CMB: I understand that your farm was the first in Atlantic Canada to be involved in the TESA program. DF: Yes, I think we were the first farm east of Ontario as far as I understand. I’m not sure why the eastern associations wouldn’t have previously nominated anybody because there are many farms here on PEI doing every bit as much as we are as to attain a high level of sustainability. Anyway, we were very surprised when the PEI Cattleman’s Association nominated our farm.
QUICK FACTS
• This project is being funded under CMB: And then you were attending the the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Canadian Beef conference in Calgary a five-year, $3-billion commitment by and you won. Canada's federal, provincial and territorial DF: Yeah! was a very nice moment governments thatThat supports Canada's agrifor us. But I don’t like to use the food and agri-products sectors. This includes word win actually. However, being a $2 billion commitment that is cost-shared recognized for our commitment was 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent a real honour. If you want to know provincially/territorially for programs the truth, it was a pretty humbling that are designed and delivered provinces and experience. As I said toby CBC when they territories. phoned me after the conference, I was just floored, really couldn’t believe it.
• There CMB: are 480 licensed So provincially now that you have beenand 230 federally licensed facilities (abattoirs and recognized, do you think that will draw more attention garner more free-standing meat plants)and in Ontario. nominations out of Atlantic Canada going forward? •The Ontario agri-food sector supports more DF: Absolutely. We’ve gotten lot than 860,000 jobs in Ontario and acontributes of good press highlighting the island more than $47.3 billion each year to the cattle industry. I’m positive you’ll see province’s economy. more farms in our neck of the woods nominated next year. And I have to give the Canadian Cattleman’s Association recognition for choosing a farm from Prince Edward Island. We are small players in the national beef industry and I think it was a real credit to their organization to recognize us. They treated all the nominees royally and it was a real class act. It was a wonderful experience.
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FOODSERVICE WORKERS HAVE HIT THE PANDEMIC WALL Widespread mental health crisis sparks major support program As prolonged COVID-19 related lockdowns continue across Canada, the restaurant and foodservice sector has reached a critical point where survival of the industry as a whole, may not be an option if viable widespread relief doesn’t arrive soon. A casualty of this crisis is a growing mental health epidemic comprised of one of this country’s largest and most vulnerable work forces. Not 9 to 5, a global non-profit organization based in Toronto advocating for mental health in the foodservice industry was recently granted close to $240,000 by The Future Skills Centre (FSC) to provide critical support to this population. Just days ahead of CMHA’s Mental Health Week in Canada, Not 9 to 5 is ready to amplify awareness and deploy help to the industry “The hospitality industry is precarious even in the best of times – and now the impact of the coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating the mental health crisis. The grant from FSC will be instrumental in leveraging our programming so that we can get help to those who need it,” says Hassel Aviles, Executive Director at Not 9 to 5.
of house staff to managers. Mind Your Health is one of 64 initiatives being funded by The Future Skills Centre as part of their “Shock-proofing the Future of Work” program that was specifically launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to encourage the creation of partnerships that to promote resilience in the face of further potential future disruptions. Based on research previously conducted by Not 9 to 5, the hospitality and foodservice industry have unique and extreme obstacles because it tends to attract people who live with mental health and substance use challenges. And with relatively low entry barriers and easy access to alcohol and illicit substances, these pre-existing challenges are further perpetuated. In addition, unconventional hours, low pay, high-stress pressure, reliance on tips, lack of healthcare benefits, and a culture that has traditionally encouraged workers to repress and suppress mental and emotional experiences, have created a toxic environment that during the pandemic has only become further inflamed.
The funded initiative helmed by Not 9 to 5 will address new issues caused by the pandemic and the immediate need for resources to assist workers in crisis. Aptly called Mind Your Health, this program will provide mental health education and substance use support for those affected in the food service industry from back
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working environments that attract and retain workers. This is just one of the exciting shock-proofing projects that FSC is investing in to build a future playbook for shared prosperity, and help Canadian workers and businesses seize opportunities in our future economy,” says Barata. After formal research, Mind Your Health will launch an online educational guidebook designed for mass comprehension across the sector, followed by a webinar series featuring mental health experts and key findings from the survey. This will be followed by a certification program to continue breaking stigmas, deepening practical mental health awareness and education for workers, and encouraging decision-makers in the industry to practise accountability. There is currently no comprehensive data examining mental health in the foodservice and hospitality industry in Canada, but according to Mental Health America (MHA), this industry ranks as one of the worst for workplace mental health. Conducted in 2017, the findings were based on data collection of workplace culture, stress, employee engagement and employee benefits to measure workplace stress levels and overall mental health. These findings further verified for Not 9 to 5, the need for Canadian-specific research, confirmation that a mental health epidemic already existed before the pandemic and has only intensified, and that help is needed with compounded urgency. The initial stage of programming by Mind Your Health, will be to conduct the first ever comprehensive, nationwide research on the state of substance use and workplace mental health in the service and hospitality sector in Canada to support program development and knowledge mobilization. This research will be led by Not 9 to 5 in partnership with Reunion Inc., (under Ovare Group – a management consultant firm that specializes in business transformation).
The announcement of the funding from FSC to support Not 9 to 5 in deploying Mind Your Health has been a welcome one for many industry insiders. Restaurants Canada, a non-profit national organization representing restaurants and the foodservice industry has been a long-time supporter of improving workplace mental health. “Mental health was already a global issue within foodservice prior to COVID-19,” says Roberto Sarjoo, Director of Marketing and Communications at Restaurants Canada. “We encourage restaurant operators and staff to take advantage of program’s like Not 9 to 5’s ‘Mind Your Health’ that are designed specifically for our community in order to help prioritize our industry’s mental health and well-being.”
Mind Your Health is funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre.
Pedro Barata, Executive Director of the Future Skills Centre, says that tackling the issues of mental health and substance use challenges in the hospitality and food service industry is a perfect example of the programs FSC in investing in broader systems that support employers, service providers and vulnerable populations that creates a workforce of the future that leaves no-one behind. “This program’s approach takes into account the unique needs, challenges and barriers of the sector and offers an important step in the effort to create more resilient
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AGRICULTURE MUST BE VIEWED AS PART OF OUR ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS, NOT THE PROBLEMS By Virginia Labbie, Senior Policy Analyst, Agri-business The Federal budget was finally delivered last month. Not surprisingly, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) was watching closely given it represents 95,000 small and medium-sized businesses including 6,000 agri-business members across the country. Agriculture received quite a bit of airtime in the budget and there were some positive initiatives announced for the sector. For example, another $1 Billion was dedicated to the Universal Broadband Fund to increase access to highspeed internet in rural and remote communities. As we can all appreciate, high-speed internet access is no longer a luxury- it is a necessity- and farmers must see tangible progress on this announcement in the near future. CFIB was pleased to see the government extend the Mandatory Isolation Support for Temporary Foreign Workers program which provides funding to agribusinesses to help with the costs while Temporary Foreign Workers are completing their 14-day isolation period.
Not surprisingly, most of the references to agriculture and farmers in this budget centered around climatefocused programs and policies. CFIB is encouraged to see the government finally recognize the federal carbon tax is hurting the agriculture sector. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland recently said farmers’ concerns about the costs of the federal carbon tax on grain drying and use of nonpurple fuel is a “very legitimate concern.” The budget indicates the federal government will return a portion of the proceeds from the federal backstop carbon tax directly to farmers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario beginning in 2021-22. It is estimated farmers would receive $100 million in the first year. In essence, this is a rebate and is likely a direct result of the pressure on the government generated from the momentum on private members’ Bill C-206 which would outright exempt natural gas and propane used to dry grain.
We will be keeping a close eye on the new temporary “immediate expensing” measure to allow businesses to fully expense up to $1.5 million in capital investments in the year of purchase until 2024. In a capital-intensive industry like agriculture, this could be helpful to some operations that are considering some big-ticket purchases in the next couple of years. 26
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As I have written in a previous column, CFIB has been pushing hard for exemptions from the federal carbon tax for the agriculture sector. It is clear farmers would prefer exemptions over rebates, given the red tape and lag involved, but this is an important admission that carbon tax costs are impacting farmers’ bottom line.
While this federal budget allocates significant dollars over the next two years to the Agriculture Climate Solutions Program ($200 million), the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund ($60 million), and $10 million to the Agricultural Clean Technology Program, CFIB will be looking for important details that are currently missing. How will these new programs actually work at the farm gate in terms of practicality, cost and recognition of farmers’ previous environmental leadership and stewardship?
Interestingly enough, Bill C-206 was recently approved by the Standing Committee on Agriculture and AgriFood and is heading to third reading. CFIB will continue to urge Members of Parliament to support this Bill and get it across the finish line.
Farmers want to do their part but there are many policies and initiatives set to take shape in the coming months that will have significant ramifications for the sector for many years to come. For example, a carbon pricing mechanism or carbon credit system is currently being developed. How will carbon sequestration be recognized? It is imperative that farmers are consulted in these developments at every step of the way.
For far too long, agriculture has been seen by some policy makers as part of the problem and not part of the solution when it comes to carbon emissions. It is hard to understand why this is so. When surveyed, more than three-quarters of farmers (78 per cent) have already taken action in the last several years to lessen their environmental impact (85 per cent in the field crop sector). When asked what motivates their business to implement measures to improve environmental quality, 87 per cent of farmers said they do so because of their own personal views. It is clear farmers care about the environment. meatbusinesspro.com
Up until now, the federal government’s solution to environmental challenges has included applying carbon taxes to a sector that is least able to pass on these costs. The government needs to take a serious look at how it can mitigate the disproportionate impact of the federal carbon tax on agriculture. Continued on page 26
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Agriculture is one of the few industries in Canada that has a strong share of global trade. Agri-business owners need to compete on this world stage and governments can not lose sight that the policy environment they create must support farmers’ competitiveness and productivity, not diminish it. Farmers want to do their part, but programs and policies must be practical and recognize them for the important role they already play in protecting the environment.
We can not just keep heaping more and more costs and regulations on the sector, all-the-while expect that convoluted rebate schemes are the best way to protect these important businesses. According to CFIB estimates, regulation from all levels of government cost Canadian businesses $38.8 billion in 2020, with red tape accounting for $10.8 billion of that total. Those figures are both higher than CFIB’s last report on the cost of regulation, in 2017, which pegged the total cost at $36 billion, of which $10 billion was red tape. As in previous reports, small businesses with fewer than 5 employees face the highest cost on a per employee basis – 5 times higher than larger businesses (with 100 employees or more).
In the context of the pandemic, we must look for ways to help the sector perform to its potential and help lead Canada’s economic recovery. CFIB will be watching closely in the months ahead to see if the measures announced in the federal budget accomplishes this important goal. Share your feedback with CFIB on the federal budget! Contact us at cfib@cfib.ca or by calling 1-888-234-2232. Not a member? JOIN CFIB today for more help and information.
ABOUT CFIB The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 95,000 members (6,000 agri-business members) across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners’ chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca.
Virginia Labbie is the Senior Policy Analyst, Agri-business for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). CFIB has 95,000 members and 6,000 agri-business members across Canada. To find out more about how to support local business go to www.smallbusinesseveryday.ca or visit www.cfib.ca
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